In a move to restore trust in America’s elections, President Donald J. Trump signed a new executive order on Monday aimed at strengthening voting laws and protecting the integrity of the ballot box.
The order, titled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections,” lays out a sweeping plan to enforce existing federal laws, ensure only U.S. citizens can vote, and above all, elections must be honest and worthy of the public trust.
That requires voting methods that produce a voter-verifiable paper record allowing voters to efficiently check their votes to protect against fraud or mistake.
Fixing a Broken System
“America has some of the weakest election protections in the world,” the order says.
It points out that countries like India and Brazil tie voter ID to a national biometric system. In contrast, the U.S. still largely trusts people to check a box claiming they’re citizens—no proof required.
Even countries like Canada and Germany use paper ballots and count them in public.
Meanwhile, American elections often rely a patchwork of voting methods, including electronic systems, mail-in ballots without postmarks, and rules that vary wildly from state to state.
President Trump’s order says it’s time to stop the chaos and bring back common sense.
What the Order Does
Here’s what the order says, in plain English:
- States must stop counting ballots that arrive after Election Day. Federal law already says there’s one Election Day. Ballots must be received—not just mailed—by then. Trump says it’s crazy that some states still accept late ballots (hello, Nevada).
- Only U.S. citizens can vote in federal elections. The order directs agencies to require proof of citizenship on national voter registration forms. That means things like a passport, military ID, or REAL ID-compliant license.
- Federal agencies must help states verify citizenship. The Department of Homeland Security, Social Security, and others are ordered to give states access to immigration and death records to clean up voter rolls.
- Foreign interference must be stopped. The Department of Justice will crack down on foreign money being funneled into campaigns and ballot initiatives. Groups receiving federal money are banned from lobbying.
- Review each State’s publicly available voter registration list. The Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with the DOGE administrator, shall review voter list database and maintenance activities.
- Improving the Election Assistance Commission. The E.A.C shall amend the voluntary Voting Systems Guidelines 2.0 and issue other appropriate guidance establishing standards for voting systems to protect election integrity. This includes re-certifying voting systems under the new standards.
- Voting machines must produce a paper trail. Machines that only use barcodes or QR codes to record votes will no longer be allowed unless needed for voters with disabilities. Voters should be able to see and verify their actual vote on paper.
- States that don’t follow the law could lose federal funding. The Election Assistance Commission is directed to withhold funds from states that allow non-citizens to vote, count late ballots, or fail to maintain accurate voter rolls (hello, Nevada).
- Foreign nationals caught voting will be prosecuted. The Department of Justice will work with states to find and charge anyone who’s in the country illegally and votes in an election.
Why It Matters
President Trump and many of his supporters have long said that voter fraud—especially involving mail-in ballots and non-citizen voting—is a serious threat to election integrity.
They argue that every illegal vote cancels out the vote of a legal citizen.
According to the Pew Research Center, about 1 in 8 voter registrations in the U.S. are inaccurate or outdated.
Trump says this order brings the U.S. in line with common sense rules used by other modern countries.
In places like Denmark and Sweden, mail-in voting is limited and late ballots aren’t counted. That helps avoid confusion and cheating.
What Critics Are Saying
Some on the Left are not happy.
Civil rights groups and Democrat leaders say the order could “suppress” voting and make it harder for people to register, especially minorities and the poor.
They argue that many Americans don’t have a passport or other documents proving citizenship readily available.
Marc Elias from Democracy Fund said today that he will sue over Trump’s order. He claims “election fraud is exceptionally rare.”
But supporters of the order say that ensuring voters are citizens is just common sense.
“If you need ID to buy beer, get on a plane, or open a bank account, why wouldn’t you need it to vote?” said Nevada State Assemblywoman Jill Dickman (R-Washoe). “Only citizens should decide the future of this country.”
What Happens Next
Agencies have 30 to 180 days to start putting these changes into action.
Some states will likely challenge parts of the order in court. But Trump’s team says the federal government has every right to enforce laws already on the books.
One thing is clear: this executive order will spark a national debate—and possibly set the tone for the 2026 midterm elections.
For many Americans, it’s a long-overdue step toward clean, fair, and honest elections.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
